Bhagvatam: MAY THAT SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD PROTECT ME AT ALL TIMES WITH HIS EIGHT ARMS. THROUGH AHANGRAHOPÄSANÄ ONE DOES NOT BECOME GOD, BUT HE THINKS OF HIMSELF AS QUALITATIVELY ONE WITH THE SUPREME. HUMAN DUTY IS TO ALWAYS SEEK THE MERCY OF THE LORD IN ORDER TO BE PROTECTED BY HIM IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Lord, who sits on the back of the bird Garuda, touching him with His lotus feet, holds eight weapons—the conchshell, disc, shield, sword, club, arrows, bow and ropes.
May that Supreme Personality of Godhead protect me at all times with His eight arms.
He is all-powerful because He fully possesses the eight mystic powers [animä, laghimä, etc.]
PURPORT
Thinking oneself one with the Supreme is called ahangrahopäsanä.
Through ahangrahopäsanä one does not become God, but he thinks of himself as qualitatively one with the Supreme.
Understanding that as a spirit soul he is equal in quality to the supreme soul the way the water of a river is of the same nature as the water of the sea, one should meditate upon the Supreme Lord, as described in this verse, and seek His protection.
The living entities are always subordinate to the Supreme.
Consequently their duty is to always seek the mercy of the Lord in order to be protected by Him in all circumstances.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme indestructible Lord is ascertained through the performance of ritualistic sacrifices and is therefore known as Yajneshvara. In His incarnation as Lord Boar, He raised the planet earth from the water at the bottom of the universe and kept it on His pointed tusks. May that Lord protect me from rogues on the street. May Parashuräma protect me on the tops of mountains, and may the elder brother of Bharata, Lord Räma Chandra, along with His brother Lakshmana, protect me in foreign countries.
PURPORT
There are three Rämas. One Räma is Parashuräma (Jämadägnya), another Räma is Lord Räma Chandra, and a third Räma is Lord Balaräma. In this verse the words rämo'dri-küteshv atha indicate Lord Parashuräma. The brother of Bharata Mahäräja and Lakshmana is Lord Räma Chandra.
May Lord Näräyana protect me from unnecessarily following false religious systems and falling from my duties due to madness. May the Lord in His appearance as Nara protect me from unnecessary pride. May Lord Dattätreya, the master of all mystic power, protect me from falling while performing bhakti-yoga, and may Lord Kapila, the master of all good qualities, protect me from the material bondage of fruitive activities.
TRANSLATION
May Sanat-kumära protect me from lusty desires. As I begin some auspicious activity, may Lord Hayagriva protect me from being an offender by neglecting to offer respectful obeisances to the Supreme Lord. May Devarshi Närada protect me from committing offenses in worshiping the Deity, and may Lord Kürma, the tortoise, protect me from falling to the unlimited hellish planets.
PURPORT
Lusty desires are very strong in everyone, and they are the greatest impediment to the discharge of devotional service. Therefore those who are very much influenced by lusty desires are advised to take shelter of Sanat-kumära, the great brahmachäri devotee.
Närada Muni, who is the guide for archana, is the author of the Närada Pancharätra, which prescribes the regulative principles for worshiping the Deity.
Everyone engaged in Deity worship, whether at home or in the temple, should always seek the mercy of Devarshi Närada in order to avoid the thirty-two offenses while worshiping the Deity. These offenses in Deity worship are mentioned in The Nectar of Devotion.
